Should we be Following a Low-Fat Diet?
- Admin
- May 9, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 10
Published by: Emerson Ecologics
Over the last few years, there has been a ridiculous amount of back and forth debate on the pros and cons of high and low-fat diets.
What matters more than the quantity of fat is the type of fat being consumed. Prioritize unsaturated fats over saturated fats in your diet. (1) Doing so promotes a more anti-inflammatory diet and is more aligned with the Mediterranean diet, which is associated with improved weight management and cardiovascular health.
What are Saturated Fats?
Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and should be limited to <10% of total daily calories consumed in the diet. (1) Saturated fat can be found in animal fats (meat, fat from dairy, butter) and coconut oil.
What are Unsaturated Fats?
Unsaturated fats (both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats) are liquid at room temperature. These fats are a huge part of the Mediterranean Diet, which is one of the most highly researched anti-inflammatory diets. Unsaturated fats Include olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, avocado, avocado oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish (ex salmon).
Dietitian Takeaway
The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans place greater emphasis on types of dietary fat than total amount of dietary fat and recommend replacing SFAs with unsaturated fats, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids for CVD prevention. (2)
Consume fat in moderation, since any food in excess is not great for your health. The approach should not be "the more the better," just focus on replacing as much saturated fat in your diet with unsaturated fats as possible. This will reduce your cardiovascular risk and reduce inflammation!
This article discusses these the different fats in detail and goes into further explanation on whether this diet is the right one for you: Hyperlink to the original article
References
1. Maki KC, Dicklin MR, Kirkpatrick CF. Saturated fats and cardiovascular health: Current evidence and controversies. J Clin Lipidol. 2021 Nov-Dec;15(6):765-772. doi: 10.1016/j.jacl.2021.09.049. Epub 2021 Oct 1. PMID: 34649831. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34649831/
2. Wang DD, Hu FB. Dietary Fat and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Recent Controversies and Advances. Annu Rev Nutr. 2017 Aug 21;37:423-446. doi: 10.1146/annurev-nutr-071816-064614. Epub 2017 Jun 23. PMID: 28645222. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28645222/
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